A new book about North Korea takes a close look at the lives of ordinary people in the country and how profound changes in the economy and inflows of information in recent years have changed the way North Koreans live. Read More »

South Korea President Park Geun-hye’s heavy foreign policy emphasis on unification with North Korea is an unhelpful distraction that focuses on the far horizon at the expense of the here and now, writes Aidan Foster-Carter. Read More »

In a video clip, released appropriately enough on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Mr. Rodman says he’s “not Martin Luther King,” and then in his inimitable expletive-laced way, invites people to “shoot me” and “please do it today.” Read More »

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said on Monday she’s willing to have talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “without preconditions.” Meanwhile, North Korea has said for months that it’s ready to hold discussions on its nuclear program without preconditions.

Here’s some North Korean celebrity gossip to end the week. According to unnamed sources speaking to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, Kim Jong Un’s little sister married a son of one of Mr. Kim’s key confidants last year. Read More »

For many South Koreans, 2014 is likely to be remembered as a year of national soul-searching over the April sinking of the ferry Sewol. The trials and tribulations of the nation’s biggest businesses were also in the spotlight, most recently because of something as seemingly trivial as the way an in-flight snack was served. There were upbeat moments, too, most notably the visit of Pope Francis in August. Meanwhile, North Korea continued to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Here’s a quick look at Korea Real Time’s picks for the top five Korean stories of 2014. Read More »

About Korea Real Time

Korea Real Time provides sharp analysis and insight into what’s making news on the Korean peninsula. We chronicle the growing pains of South Korea — a country that has skyrocketed into the club of the world’s richest nations but now faces significant headwinds, and shine a spotlight on one of the world’s biggest geopolitical flashpoints: North Korea. Drawing on the expertise of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, we’ll tell the stories behind the headlines in business, economics, politics, culture and lifestyle. You can contact the editors at korearealtime@wsj.com